


You're Flyin' High at Push On

by ken_ichijouji (dommific)



Series: The Secret Ingredient [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Food Porn, Jim hate watches Chris Pine, M/M, as in like delicious descriptions not like the other thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2014-06-05
Packaged: 2018-02-03 11:33:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1743203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dommific/pseuds/ken_ichijouji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim wants to do something special for Bones. What would be more appropriate for a chef than making dinner?</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're Flyin' High at Push On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [neroh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/neroh/gifts).



> Gahhhhhhhhhhhh this is a very late birthday present for Sarah aka Rochester. Hopefully it was worth the wait.
> 
> The recipe for the paella can be found [here](http://spanishfood.about.com/od/maincourses/r/paellavalencian.htm).
> 
> The title comes from "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey. Look I love her. I love her. I don't even care.
> 
> Yes, I wrote a fic where Jim Kirk hate watches Chris Pine on television. Let's be real, they'd try to kill each other if they could somehow exist on the same plane of reality. There is no way they wouldn't.
> 
> You don't HAVE to have read "You Don't Know What It Means to Win" before this, but it may help. If you're not up to it, the basics are that Bones is a famous chef who is an Iron Chef on the US Program. Jim challenged him. They fell in love. They battled. Jim barely won, becoming the first person to ever take Bones down in the history of the show. Then limo sex. That's it, that's the fic.

The alarm went off around 4:45 AM and Jim sat up in bed automatically. 

Next to him, Bones sat up more slowly, running a hand over his eyes and yawning. “It’s me, darlin’,” he said, voice rough with sleep. “You’re off next two days, remember?”

“Oh right,” Jim said as he snuggled back down into Bones’ goose down comforter and 1000 thread-count sheets. He rolled onto his side, hugging some pillows in between his arms. “The Today Show.”

“Yup,” Bones said. He stretched, climbing out of the bed in only a pair of loose black pants. He came around to Jim’s side of the bed, stroking his hair a few times. “The DVR is set so you can sleep in.”

“Mmm baby, you spoil me,” Jim said. “You have meetings after right?”

“Yeah, I’ll be gone until six or seven,” Bones said as he continued to pet Jim’s sleep-mussed blond hair. “Enjoy your day off,” he said as he kissed Jim’s brow before padding into the bathroom to shower.

Jim smiled, rolling to the middle of the bed and inhaling the scent from Bones’ pillows. Maybe when Bones got in for the night they could dirty up the sheets his maid had just put on yesterday. As it was, Jim got in late the night before and was too tired to do anything but watch a couple of episodes of television on Netflix draped over Bones’ lap on his couch. 

Valentine's Day was coming up quickly, and Jim would have to work on the day of, but they had tentative dinner plans for the next night. They were finally doing Morimoto’s at the request of the man himself, and Bones kept dropping hints about the special _omakase_ he was making just for them. 

Jim was a bit starstruck at the prospect of meeting him; he’d been his favorite on the Japanese Iron Chef, and he seemed really fun on the US one. But Bones swore he had no reason to feel intimidated, so he tried to settle his nerves. 

This left them with loose ends for that day, though. Bones was always beat when his day started with the Today Show; he had to be at NBC by 6:00 AM for hair and make up in order to shoot his segment during the 8:00 hour, and Bones wasn't much of an early riser anymore. He joked how glad he was he was to have left those days behind him.

Nevertheless, he was now talking about potentially opening a new restaurant in Manhattan and doing it his way, meaning he’d actually be the chef cooking the food. While his TV shows and Iron Chef battles kept him busy, Bones mentioned more than once he missed actually being on the lines, being the one to make the plates.

He missed being the one his restaurant’s reputation rested on, too.

Jim wanted him to be happy, but he was a bit uneasy about Bones going back into the kitchen. As delightfully control-freakish as Bones was, if he opened a new place it would mean he'd be workingng fifteen hour days seven days a week. And they didn’t have a lot of time together as it was between Bones’ already packed schedule and Jim’s workload at Aureole. 

Selfishly, Jim hoped it was a passing fancy.

Jim rolled back onto his back, looking up at the ceiling as the water cut off in the bathroom. He shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep so Bones wouldn’t speak to him, as Jim was generally crap at hiding his feelings from him at any time, not just at fucking 5:00 AM.

Jim heard Bones padding around the room, getting dressed as he moved. It was mid-February in Manhattan, which meant it was cold as shit with a wind that cut like a knife. Bones sat next to Jim’s arm, and he reached out and stroked Jim’s hair a while. Unable to prevent it, Jim smiled and opened his eyes. 

His breath caught, as it always did, at the look on Bones’ face. The brilliant love shining through made his heart double-time against his ribcage. Bones leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to Jim’s lips. “Get some rest,” Bones whispered against his mouth. “Relax today. Enjoy your day off.”

“I will,” Jim said. “And I love you.”

“Love you too,” Bones said as he got off the bed. He had on a thick navy sweater, a pair of jeans, brown boots over what was sure to be a thick pair of socks, and he grabbed a heavy gray peacoat and cashmere scarf. 

He took off, presumably to hail a cab uptown, and Jim cuddled back under the covers, trying to go back to sleep.

\-----

Unable to sleep in too long, Jim got up at 7:55 and made himself at home on Bones’ couch with a bowl of the cereal he kept in Bones’ pantry. Every time he brought it out in Bones’ presence, he got a stern look and mumbling about processed foods, but Cocoa Krispies had always been a comfort thing for Jim.

Right then, alone in his boyfriend’s condo, Jim needed them.

The Today Show was on the hourly weather report, and Jim got himself a heaping spoonful of mushy chocolate cereal. Granted, everyone knew the milk was the best part, but he still enjoyed munching the cereal itself. Al Roker reported what Jim and every other New Yorker already knew, that the weather was colder than it had any right to be. And Jim grew up in Iowa, so this was saying something.

The show turned to interviewing some asshole actor that Bones swore looked like Jim shilling some movie or whatever. The guy had a graying beard, thick glasses, and threw big words around like he was _so erudite_ , and Jim kept rolling his eyes at how much of a douche he seemed.

“I don’t look a thing like this prick,” Jim groused as he focused back on his cereal. 

The interview kept going with the shitlord talking about his latest project and was he wearing a fucking pinky ring? What the hell? Who even did things like that?

Jim looked at his hands, which had some red marks from hot liquids splashing him the night before with the added bonus of a couple of blisters on the inside of his wrist. The asshole on the Today Show probably got a manicure every week. 

Wondering briefly if he was being uncharitable, Jim went back to slurping the cereal. Then the guy used “antidisestablishmentarianism” without a single drop of irony, and Jim felt vindicated in his irrational hatred of this dude.

And okay they maybe were the same height and had similar coloring, but that was all he’d allow. Bones was high. That’s all there was to it.

The hosts and the actor all laughed at some kind of joke or something, and Jim tilted his head back to drink every last drop of the gloriously chocolate-y milk. Once it was all gone, he set the bowl on the coffee table and picked up a mug of coffee.

Just in time, too as it was Bones’ turn.

Jim blew on the still-steaming coffee as he turned the volume up on the television. They’d decked Bones out in an emerald green shirt that did wonders for his eyes and a pair of jeans he had a feeling would “disappear” from wardrobe into Bones’ closet. 

Not that Jim was complaining, they looked like they hugged his ass splendidly.

Bones was introduced, and he explained he was making bacon wrapped pork tenderloins, and though Jim had just eaten breakfast, he remembered the last time Bones made them when he was perfecting the recipe. 

They had been to die for.

Bones put a clove of garlic in a ramekin, covering it with some olive oil and wrapping it in foil. Then he put it in the oven. 

“Now this takes forty-five minutes to soften at 300 degrees,” he said with a smile to the camera. “But luckily, I thought ahead.” 

As he opened the oven to put the new garlic in, he drew an existing ramekin out with his oven mitts, placing it on the range. He unwrapped the foil, letting the garlic air out.

“I know it’s hard,” Bones said. “But let it cool enough to handle. You’ll need your hands later, if only to devour these tenderloins whole.”

The anchors, Roker, and the actor all laughed, and Jim snorted himself, because the tenderloins were really that good.

Bones detailed the step-by-step process of cooking the pork, making sure not to block the camera with his movements. With deft handling and care, he rubbed them each with half the garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper and a mixture of herbs, wrapped bacon around each one, and tied the whole thing up with kitchen twine.

"Now," Bones said with a smile to the camera," You need to up the temp of your oven from 300 to 375 for the next bit.”

While the oven’s temperature rose, Bones turned his attention to some oil that had been warming in a skillet. He seared the tenderloins until they were golden brown on all sides then transferred them to a roasting pan. He put them into the oven, where he made a point to mention not over-cooking them.

“No more than ten minutes, but eight should be fine,” Bones elaborated. “And again, I thought ahead, so here we go.”

Already with the twine removed, Bones gestured to perfectly cooked tenderloins with crisp bacon around them. 

“Make sure you let these rest for a while before carving them, ten minutes or so,” Bones said. “Otherwise you’ll lose all that juice inside.”

He carved one into pieces, putting them on plates to pass around to the hosts and the actor. They all took bites, lighting up at the first taste, which Jim knew would happen. As praise was heaped upon Bones, Jim’s heart swelled with pride even though the outcome was never in question.

“Atta boy,” Jim said out loud.

Everyone continued to shower compliments on Bones and it evolved into the usual family-friendly small talk. There was a moment, though, when Bones made sure to catch the camera and mouthed, “I love you, Jim,” that made Jim’s spirits rise considerably. 

He was turning into a sappy jerk, but apparently so was Bones. He figured it was a wash. 

Jim blew a kiss to the TV screen, even though he knew Bones would have zero clue he did it. He got hit by the need to do _something_ for Bones, something above and beyond the usual cuddling and blowjobs he bestowed. Jim downed the rest of the coffee and took his dishes to the kitchen to wash.

He didn’t have a lot of money, as it was that awkward time between pay periods where he was light on cash. So a fancy gift was likely out of the equation. But he could make a nice dinner for Bones as an early pre-Valentine thing. 

Jim began to rifle through the contents of Bones’ pantry to see what he could work with. There were tons of things readily available, of course, but what caught his attention were the dried white beans, saffron, and pearl rice.

Jim grabbed them and put them on the counter, dishing out one and a quarter cup of the beans. He set them to soak in some water, checking the time as he did so. They’d need about eight hours of soaking for what he planned. 

Making sure he had the recipe straight in his head, Jim did a quick Google search on Bones’ iPad for Valencian Paella. He knew he needed to buy a rabbit, snails, and maybe a chicken unless Bones had a whole one. The recipe loaded and Jim held the tablet in one hand as he opened the fridge. Bones actually did have a whole chicken, so that worked out well. But Jim would need artichokes, which in February would be a bit pricey and hard to find good ones. He needed a bit more than two pounds of green beans as well. Bones had tomatoes and onions, which was convenient. He also had tons of fresh garlic.

So a whole rabbit, skinned and cleaned, 24 snails, cleaned, two and a quarter pounds green beans, and two artichokes. The meat would be a bit pricey, but Jim did the math in his head, and it was affordable.

Jim closed the fridge door and checked the time again. It was almost nine, which meant he would be hitting up Harlem Shambles when they opened for the rabbit. Dean and Deluca for the snails, which Bones’ own restaurant used canned so he wouldn’t care about that. Chelsea Market for the produce, with Whole Foods as a back up. It was a lot of running around, but running around was kind of part and parcel of being a New Yorker. 

Jim ran to shower, change, and head out.

\-----

Several hours later and laden down with packages, Jim stepped back into Bones’ condo. He’d been in luck at Harlem Shambles; he’d forgotten rabbit was only a special order item there, but they happened to have a couple on hand for the holiday. The snails were found at Dean and Deluca as promised, and he found a quaint little farmer’s market in the West Village that had the produce and it didn’t set him back too much.

Jim checked the beans; it’d only been five hours, so they needed more time in the water. He put the rabbit in the fridge, leaving all the produce out on the counter. The snails sat near by as well. Jim checked the time again as he milled about the kitchen. He was at loose ends, but Bones had a gym on the top floor of his building. The key card was in the basket near the door where he put his keys when arriving home.

Jim rummaged in Bones’ drawers for work out clothes, coming up with a pair of running shorts and an Atlanta Falcons t-shirt that had seen better days. Jim took the elevator up to the gym, picking a treadmill that overlooked the skyscrapers and uptown. He ran five miles, making good time -though not his best- before turning off the treadmill to head downstairs. 

Bones worked out five days a week, regardless of where he was for his shows, and Jim knew he had stuff for post-work out smoothies in his kitchen. So Jim helped himself to almond milk, chocolate protein powder, and Bones’ Vitamix blender, downing two cups of ice-cold water in the process. 

The shake was ready, and he was careful not to gulp it down. Once he finished, he took a shower and changed into some of the clothes he kept in Bones’ closet; he pulled out a red button up shirt, rolling up the sleeves, and a pair of dark jeans. He didn’t bother with socks or shoes, even though he knew Bones would scold him for cooking barefoot.

Jim checked the time and the beans again; they were almost ready, just a little bit longer. He then scoured in the bottom cabinets for something he wasn’t sure Bones had, but then his hand hit it: a paella pot.

As Bones graduated from Le Coron Bleu, he specialized in French cuisine. But he also had an expertise in Southern thanks to his upbringing and Mediterranean was something he dabbled in as well. He’d never made paella for Jim yet, but that didn’t bother him. The exquisite tapas plates and lamb sausage entrees were nothing to sneeze at.

The beans still needed a bit more time to soak, so Jim turned the television on and watched an episode of Chopped. He’d only recently filmed his first few episodes as a judge, so it wasn’t one he was on. The first one he filemd featured both Marcus Samuelsson and Amanda Freitag, and it was a struggle to keep his cool around them. Red Rooster was his favorite place to eat in Harlem and while the Empire Diner was newish, it was still flawless. 

Jim also had to appreciate the genius of a pancetta topped pork chop and midnight brunch on Fridays.

They were both genuinely kind, lovely people who set him right at ease, and Ted Allen was great too. Jim had always felt bad for Ted not getting to eat the food on Chopped, but it turns out he got a plate like the judges. They just didn’t show him eating. Filming each episode took almost sixteen hours, though, between all the rounds and the clean up in between, plus the time it took to decide whom to Chop. 

The magic of television.

Jim liked the experience a great deal and was looking forward to repeating it in the future.

The thing that hung over his head he wasn’t sure about was the Next Iron Chef competition. That was due to start filming soon, and while Jim still wanted to do it, he was unsure of leaving his work and Bones for weeks to film.

Well, weeks provided he didn’t get eliminated in the first round.

He wanted it, though...he wanted his career to advance, to gain more notoriety, to be famous. He wanted it all, but Bones kind of complicated matters.

Though, wherever they filmed it (the last one was primarily in Vegas) he figured he and Bones could Skype or Face Time every night. He just hated being apart from him.

Jim sighed, shaking his head as he focused on the dessert round of the Chopped episode. It wasn’t worth fretting over until it happened, and Jim knew Bones well enough to know if he could be spared, he’d likely be on the first plane out to the filming site.

The episode ended and Jim stood, stretching, as he turned off the television and wandered into the kitchen. He grabbed the chicken and the rabbit out the fridge, picking up Bones’ meat-only cutting board and a clever. The rabbit had been skinned and cleaned, not that Jim didn’t remember how to do those things but it made his life easier that he didn’t have to. He just had to cut it up into pieces. Ditto the chicken.

Jim put on music using Bones’ stereo and went to work, washing his hands first and then hacking up the rabbit and the chicken. He cut them up small enough that they could be easily sautéed, then set them aside. Then he opened the can of sails, drained the liquid, and rinsed them, making sure they were properly cleaned. He finely chopped the garlic, cut the tomatoes into eights, and washed and snapped the green beans in half. Then he drained the water from the white beans. He trimmed the tops of the leaves of the artichokes before cutting off their bottom stems. Then he quartered them.

Jim set the vegetables aside with the meat and looked where Bones kept a lot of his cooking implements. He thoroughly searched the cabinet but he didn’t find it.

Bones didn’t have a paella burner.

“Hrm,” Jim said. He looked at the pan he pulled out earlier; it was about seventeen inches. He looked at the burners on Bones’ stove; he knew they were good quality and heated pans evenly, because Bones wouldn’t stand for it if they didn’t, but he was unsure of the size. It looked about right, though, and Jim didn’t know if Bones even had a ruler, let alone where he kept it. 

He’d just have to chance it.

Jim turned on the right front burner, and the flames licked up from the gas igniting. Jim placed the pan on the burner and coated the bottom in oil. While the oil heated, he diced the onion. His eyes only stung a little from it at this point, but he was still careful not to wipe his face with his hands. He also put a pan on the stove of four cups of chicken broth.

By the time that task was complete, the oil was hot enough and he put the onion, tomatoes, and garlic in the pan. He added a dash more of the olive oil to prevent them from sticking to the pan and sautéed. Once the onion was translucent, he added the rabbit and chicken.

It took about fifteen minutes to properly cook them, and Jim stirred the pan the entire time before adding the beans. Again he stirred, cooking the beans so they were just barely done. After that, it was time to add the rice. He poured it into the pan in the shape of a cross and mixed the rice thoroughly to coat it with the oil. 

The saffron was next, and he only used a few threads because not only did a little go a long way but it was very expensive. Jim crushed the threads into the pan of the broth and it quickly became a rich golden color. Once he was satisfied with that, he poured the broth into the pan with the rabbit and chicken, covering it in the golden liquid. Then he added the rest of the vegetables, stirring a few times to incorporate. Jim let the dish simmer on the stove for a while, testing periodically to make sure the beans and rice were fully cooked. Once they were, he removed the pan from the heat and covered it with aluminum foil to let it rest. Then Jim began the process of washing the dishes and cleaning up.

Just in the nick of time, as the door opened. Bones entered the premises, exhaling loudly as he did so. “Hey, darlin’,” he said with a smile.

“Hey,” Jim said as he rinsed off the cutting board. Bones stepped over to him, giving him a sweet kiss at the sink. Jim grinned into it, wishing he could touch Bones but remembering at the last second that his hands were wet and covered in suds.

Bones broke the kiss, looking with a curious expression at the covered pan. “What’s all this?”

“Valencian paella,” Jim said. “Just for you.”

Bones raised an eyebrow. “Why though?”

Jim shrugged as his cheeks flushed. “I just wanted to do something for you. I can’t buy you fancy things, but I can make a reasonably fancy dinner. And I figured you’d be tired after your day started so early. So...here.”

Bones didn’t say anything more, letting Jim finish the dishes without interruption. The music continued to play in the background. Once everything was set in the drying rack, Jim turned to Bones again and smiled. 

“Let’s eat, it’s rested for long enough,” he said. 

Bones still had that same thoughtful look on his face. His eyes were a bit murky, like he was lost. Jim waved a hand in front of his eyes a few times, startling him out of it. 

“Hello?” Jim said with a laugh. “Bones?”

“Sorry,” Bones said. “I...never mind. Let’s eat.”

Jim snorted, grabbing two bowls from their cabinet. He also grabbed forks and knives, setting them at Bones’ counter. Jim grabbed the half-full growler of beer Bones got the other day in Brooklyn, pouring them both glasses. They dished up heaping bowlfuls of the paella, sitting at the counter to eat. 

Bones took several bites, chewing thoroughly before speaking. “It’s perfect,” he said. “You used just the right amount of saffron.”

Jim couldn’t stop the grin. “Good. I’m glad.”

Bones scooped up a snail with some rice and beans. “I don’t think I’ve ever made this specific variation before. I’ve mostly done seafood ones. Made a vegan one by request for Dita von Teese one night.”

“How’d that come out?” Jim asked. He’d never heard of that.

“Pretty good actually,” Bones said. “She loved it. Eggplant, peppers, and more beans. Vegetable broth instead of chicken. Pretty easy, all told.”

“Huh,” Jim said. “That’s good to know for me to throw together if I ever have someone vegan. Admittedly I haven’t looked into the recipes too much.”

“There’s a surprising amount that you can do with it,” Bones said. “It’s not as bad as people make it out to be.”

“Makes sense,” Jim said. He finished his paella, contemplating getting more. Though it would likely taste even better the next day for lunch. He elected to pass on seconds.

Bones grabbed their bowls, rinsing them out and putting them into his dishwasher. He looked in it for a minute, rearranging things and finally loading it with soap. He turned it on, and the quiet sound of it running filled the condo.

He walked over to Jim, who still sat at the counter. With a lot of softness in his eyes, Bones stroked Jim’s face with the back of his hand. Jim looked up at him with a curious expression. 

“I know you have a key,” Bones said. “You know my alarm code. The doorman calls you by first name when you arrive.”

Jim furrowed his brows.

“How would you feel about us buying a place together?” Bones finished. “I don’t want to move you in here, we’ll always know it was mine first. But us buying our own place together, one that’s got enough room for both of us full time plus Jo when she visits...that’d be the only thing I can think of that’d make me happier than I already am with you.”

With his eyes wide and his mouth open, Jim stared at Bones in stunned surprise. He wanted them to move in together? Both their names on a mortgage, both their things in the house, coming home to him every single night... 

“Yes. Yes! Let’s do it!” Jim said once he regained the capacity for speech.

Bones’ smile brightened, widened into a look of pure joy and jubilation. Jim flung himself out of his seat and into his arms, holding him tight. The music continued to play in the background, all but forgotten, as Bones twirled him around once. Jim laughed, a boisterous, booming one that said all that needed to be said.

Bones dipped Jim and kissed him like Clark Gable would have in those old black and white films. Unable to help it, Jim laughed into the kiss. Dimly, he realized the CDs in the changer had stopped playing. 

It didn’t matter, though.

The kiss ended and Bones brought Jim to stand upright. Without needing a mirror, Jim knew the look on his face was out of this world goofy. But goofiness was okay in the shining light of Bones’ gaze and the utter bliss in his smile.

It was very appealing and sexy, and Jim grabbed Bones’ hands, pulling him into the bedroom without delay. He quickly divested Bones of his clothing, making him laugh in the process. Pushing him into a sitting position on the bed in nothing but an undershirt, Jim dropped to his knees between his legs. 

“Maybe I should ask you to move in with me every day,” Bones said with another laugh. “Even though the idea only just occurred to me, it’s obviously a good...Jesus!”

Jim didn’t respond because Bones’ dick was in his mouth.

Feeling it harden against his tongue, Jim whimpered around it as he pulled back to run his tongue around the head. Bones leaned back on one hand, dropping his other into Jim’s hair. They stopped using condoms around Christmas, a fact for which Jim was very grateful. 

Not that sex with them was terrible, but it was so much more incredible to be skin to skin with Bones.

Jim worked Bones with his tongue, caressing and stroking and licking. Bones’ huffs became loud moans, his grip tightening in Jim’s hair. Jim began to pump his fist up and down Bones’ shaft in a slow rhythm as he concentrated his mouth on the tip. Jim hummed a little, stroking faster, and Bones shouted, tensing, as his come pulsed into Jim’s waiting mouth. 

Some of it dribbled out of the corner of Jim’s lips, as he was caught a bit by surprise. Once he was sure Bones had finished, he pulled off him, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

Bones looked down at him with eyes like hazy emeralds. He exhaled loudly as Jim stripped his own clothing off carefully. Jim got on the bed with him, pulling him into an embrace on top of the duvet. Jim laid spooning behind Bones and holding him close.

“What about you?” Bones said after a few minutes.

“I want you to fuck me,” Jim said as he kissed the nape of Bones’ neck. “I can wait.”

“That’s a different tune than the one you sang a minute ago,” Bones replied with a chuckle.

“You made me super happy. It was the least I could do.”

Bones graduated from chuckling to outright laughter. “The least you could do is nothing. And you made _me_ happy, hence me asking you to move in.”

Jim smiled. “Just by making dinner?”

“By being here and yes, partially by making dinner,” Bones said. “It made me feel so...warm and alive to come home to you cooking. It has every other time it’s happened too, but this time...this time I knew it meant something bigger. So we can look for a place and buy it soon. We’ll get all new furniture too. I want us to start over together in a place that’s ours.”

Jim’s smile softened. “You’re really serious.”

“I am,” Bones said. “I wouldn’t mind you just moving in here, honestly, but with all your stuff it’ll be too crowded. And again, you’ll always know it was mine first. This way we’re on equal footing.”

Jim pressed another kiss to Bones’ neck. “I like this plan.”

“Good,” Bones said as he turned around to face Jim. They kissed, warm and soft, in the dim light of the room. Bones rolled them so Jim lay flat on his back as the kissing grew more passionate.

The real estate agent could wait.

\-----

Two weeks later, Jim found himself at 45 Christopher Street waiting on Bones and their broker. After a few minutes, they arrived together. Bones greeted Jim with a kiss on the cheek, and Jim shook the broker’s hand.

The doorman let them in, showing them up to unit #8AG. The broker opened the door and let them in; it’d been staged with a dining foyer that housed a nice sized table with four chairs. To its left was the kitchen, which Jim and Bones both bee-lined for.

The kitchen had been customized in a way that made sense for once, so that was good. The wallpaper was ugly, though that was an easy fix. All of the appliances were stainless steel and high end, which was also a plus. Granite countertops plus backsplash finished off the look, and Jim realized there was enough cabinet space for all of their pots, pans, and cooking accouterments.

“Good sized fridge,” Bones said as he held it open to inspect it.

“I haven’t had a dishwasher since I moved from Iowa,” Jim said as he looked at the appliance.

“Four burners on a gas range, that’s good too,” Bones added.

“Wait until you see the rest,” the broker continued as she led them out of the kitchen into the apartment proper. The living room was huge with a fireplace and windows overlooking the city. French doors from the living room led into a bedroom that could double as an office.

“This could be Jo’s actually,” Jim said. “She’s old enough she’d probably appreciate the privacy of her own bathroom.”

“That’s what I was thinking too,” Bones answered as they inspected the room. “Is this the smallest bedroom?”

“It and the other are about the same size when you do the math,” the broker answered with a smile. “The other one shares a bathroom with the master suite, though. He has a point about your daughter being happier with her own bathroom.”

Jim looked up above them. “The ceilings are nice; I like beamed ceilings that are high like this.”

“This building has a lot of old charm,” the broker agreed. “The fireplaces are wood-burning. So they actually work.”

“Nice,” Bones said. “It’d be nice to have those right now.”

“Yeah,” Jim agreed. “Let’s check out the other bedrooms.”

The first bedroom was long but somewhat narrow. It had nice windows facing the north again. Jim opened the closets, noting the space. 

“There’s no shortage of storage is there?” Bones asked.

“No there’s plenty of room for both of our things,” Jim said as they moved from the bedroom to the master bath. Two sinks under a large mirrored medicine cabinet, a glass stall shower and separate soaking tub greeted them. “Wow, I didn’t think I’d ever see a bathroom better than your current one.”

Bones nodded his agreement. “It’d be nice to be able to take a bath once in a while.”

Their broker led them through the next door into the master suite, where a king sized bed and chaise greeted them. Another fireplace stood against the opposite wall, and Jim took a long look around at their surroundings. 

“This is perfect,” he said after a moment. “Just needs a coat of paint.”

“Plenty of closet space,” Bones said as he pointed to the two closets against the far wall.

“There’s an additional walk in closet just through this door,” the broker said as she gestured for them to follow her. While the closet wasn’t necessary to seal the deal, Jim’s mind was made up, and he had a feeling Bones’ was as well.

He reached down and took his hand.

“This one,” Jim said. “This one is the one we want.”

Bones looked at him out of the corner of his eye with a smile.

“I had a feeling,” the broker said with a grin. “Let’s go to the coffee shop next door and work on the paperwork.”

Bones squeezed his fingers once. Jim grinned at him, ready to move on to what the future held.

“Sounds good.”


End file.
